Rebellion
by WarningSign
Summary: ON HOLD...DAMN COLLEGE. DX and JJ aren't making life easier for Vince, and they have no idea how close their world is to crashing down around them. Cast: OC, Taker, Kane, DX, Edge, Cena, Hardyz. Read and Review! Please? I'll be your best friend!
1. Return And Revenge

Chapter One: Return and revenge

An explosion rocked the building. Instantly, screams filled the air, giving the place the feel of panicked frenzy. But the explosion wasn't destructive; the screams weren't from terror. And as they died away, a new sound prevailed: music. A Green Day song blasted through speakers, with the entire crowd of thousands of people singing along:

_I beg to dream and differ_

_From the hollow lies_

_This is the dawning of_

_The rest of our lives_

_On holiday!_

A teenager marched out into full view of the crowd, which was in fact, an audience. Her audience. They went crazy, stamping, screaming, clapping, hooting, hollering and making general fools of themselves. The teen was an eighteen-year-old girl. Her blue hair and tattooed arms stood out prominently. And even without those features, one glance told anyone that she was entirely different from other eighteen year olds. Because she was.

She was currently the youngest member of roster of professional wrestlers. Her name was JJ.

She smiled at the crowd's reaction to her appearance. Scanning the audience, she noted that more than a few fans were holding up signs proclaiming their allegiance to her. She smiled again, and focused on the task at hand.

She was standing on a stage. From that stage, a wide ramp led down to an open, circular area, separated from the crowd by a low wall. In the center of that area was a wrestling ring; a square platform raised several feet off the ground, and surrounded on all sides by three ropes set one above another. JJ started towards it.

She paused about halfway down the ramp as the ring announcer, Lillian Garcia, introduced her to the crowd.

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from Dallas, Texas, JJ!" As JJ reached the ring, she stopped. She looked around the crowd for a moment or two. Then without warning, she snapped her feet together and threw her arms straight out to her sides. Perfectly in synch with these motions, another pyrotechnic blast issued from the stage. JJ climbed up onto the edge of ring, and, using the top rope as a springboard, vaulted into it. She grabbed a microphone. The multitude of fans was buzzing in anticipation. JJ was known for delivering powerful, yet amazingly funny dialogue.

"Wow," she said. "Oh, my gosh. You guys have, like, no idea how cool it is to be here right now. It is, like so totally, completely awesome! This is, like, my favorite city, like, ever!" She spoke with an obviously fake valley girl accent. "Seriously, it is, like, so great to be here in…" she paused and glanced at a referee who was waiting for her to finish talking. JJ made a face and took a deep breath. "Here in…New York?"

_No!_

"I mean, uh, New Jersey?"

_No!_

"Philly?"

_No!_

"Pittsburgh?"

_No!_

"Washington DC?"

_No_!

"Fargo?"

The crowd paused, slightly confused. Then responded, _No!_ It was an old game that JJ played in almost every town she visited. It was also a trick to get the audience on her side, by making them laugh.

"Okay, let's see. I already said New York and New Jersey, which are obviously not popular here…oh, wait! I totally know it this time! Is it…Boston?"

Cheers and applause filled the air.

"Yeah, I was just playing with you guys. You knew that, right?" She peered suspiciously into the crowd. "Okay, for real now. As you're all probably aware, WWE hasn't been to Boston in quite a while—"

_Boo!_

"Yeah, I know, it really sucks. And, if you recall correctly, the last time I was here, which was the second to last time Raw was in Boston, wasn't one of my proudest days. I mean, that whole situation with Triple H, and the cage, and—oh here, just take a look at this, if you don't remember." She motioned to the infamous TitanTron that hung above the stage. A video clip began to play.

Lillian Garcia's voice once again filtered through the speakers in the arena, this time as a voice over.

"The following contest is a steel cage match schedule for one fall! The only way to win this match is by pin fall, submission, or escape from the cage either through the door, or over the top. Introducing first, JJ! And her opponent, from Greenwich, Connecticut, Triple H!"

Images began playing in a slideshow style. A short clip of the match would play and fade out, immediately followed by another short clip taken a few seconds later. It went on like this for about twelve clips. Then, the screen went dark, and all the lights in the arena turned off. It remained lightless for several seconds until—

BAM!

A loud blast of some dramatic music accompanied the new footage. It showed JJ taking a flying leap from the top rope and hitting triple H with a high cross body. Triple H recovered quickly, picked JJ up, and threw her into the side of the cage. He then proceeded to choke her with the middle rope, and kick her in the right knee.

Most of the WWE fans knew that JJ had had medical problems regarding that knee. It had been injured in a soccer game when she was only nine, and she had continuing problems with it. Triple H's kick sent her into a blinding white-hot pain. But he didn't stop there. He began an assault on her already injured joint with a series of moves that included a version of the figure-four leg lock, chop blocks, and what seemed like an infinite amount of vicious kicks.

JJ screamed in pain and cursed her opponent, calling him every name in the book. He stood triumphantly over her, although the match wasn't yet officially over. He didn't even have the decency to pin her. H walked towards the door, leaving her in a position where she could have pursued him if it weren't for that damned knee. The only thing that was keeping her in the match at that point was the fact that she hadn't yet allowed Triple H to walk out. And now she couldn't do any thing to stop him. He stepped down from the ring, and the bell rang, signaling the end of the match.

But, of course, it wasn't really over. The damage Triple H had inflicted upon JJ wasn't debilitating enough. She would recover and return to seek her revenge within two months time if he simply walked away now. He reached under the ring and pulled out a sledgehammer.

The next few images were still frames, the actual footage being too violent to show. But any viewer would realize what had happened. Triple H had hooked JJ's leg under the top turnbuckle—a position known in the wrestling world as the Tree of Woe. Then, the sledgehammer had been driven into JJ's knee. This was the point where Triple H finally walked away, leaving JJ to be assisted from the ring, and taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital.

Those fans that had followed the story online knew that she had been forced to obtain reconstructive surgery on the knee. The joint had been reinforced from the inside through the miracles of modern medicine, but JJ would always wear a brace to protect it whenever she wrestled. The video ended with an image of the ambulance driving away, siren wailing, and then it faded out.

JJ stood in the middle of the ring with her hands on her hips. It was her first night back on Raw. The recovery from surgery and the physical therapy had taken nearly a year out of her career, and she was still back much earlier than anyone would have expected. Now, she wanted her revenge. But, there was hitch.

"See, this is where the problem occurs," she explained to the fans. "When that incident occurred, Triple H was decidedly not the most popular person here in the WWE. However, in my absence, he and that scalawag friend of his, Shawn Michaels, have gone and reformed the legendary Degeneration X."

The crowd roared in approval. JJ shook her head.

"No! See that isn't a good thing. Well, in some ways it is, but in this context it isn't. You know why? Because I like DX. But, I somehow need to make Triple H pay for the pain he caused me, because I was gone for almost a year, and I'm not even cleared to compete for another three weeks, and this whole situation has really messed up my entire life!" She was yelling now, frustrated. She took a deep breath.

"But it is okay. I managed to convince all the doctors and whatnot that I'm ready to go, and I signed this match tonight. So, I guess the real question is: Triple H…Are you ready?" She grinned.

That phrase, along with the all-time classic "Suck It" was a DX trademark. The crowd wasn't quite sure whose side to take. Some fans were applauding JJ's sudden and dramatic return, while others were jeering the fact that she would be facing an increasingly popular member of the best tag team on Raw.

"No, Triple H! I said, are…you…ready!" She was enjoying herself now. Mockery was another tactic of hers to get her opponents fired up. Angry people were almost always more entertaining than relaxed ones.

_Are you ready?_

The crowd cheered even louder when DX's music hit than they had when JJ appeared. Lillian announced the arrival of JJ's opponent.

"And her opponent, from Greenwich, Connecticut, being accompanied to the ring by Shawn Michaels, he is one half of Degeneration X, Triple H!" Triple H and Shawn Michaels both approached the ring in their normal fashion: Triple H marching forward determinedly, and Shawn dancing and prancing his way down the ramp.

Stepping into the ring, Triple H grabbed a microphone and faced the audience.

"Are you ready?"

The crowed roared.

"No, Boston, I said—"

"Wait a minute!" JJ interrupted him. "I asked you first, Triple H!" Triple H stared at her. Did she really dare interrupt him? He took a couple of steps towards her. She was only five foot seven; miniscule when compared to him. He knelt down to look into her eyes.

"Shut up."

JJ grinned sheepishly. Triple H didn't return the expression, just stared hard at her. After a few seconds, JJ's smile faded and she looked down at the floor before stammering, "y-yes sir."

"As I was saying, Boston, are…you…ready!"

Once again, the spectators roared their approval.

"Then, for the thousands in attendance. For the millions watching at home. And," he pointed to JJ, "for you, JJ. Because you really need to start acting like you got a pair."

"But I don't!" JJ protested

"I said shut up."

"Okay."

"Let's get ready to suck it!"

Shawn Michaels then took the microphone from Triple H. "And if you're not down with that, then we have got two words for you!" He thrust the microphone heavenward and allowed the audience to finish his sentiment:

_Suck it!_

Michaels exited the ring, while the referee approached both competitors and explained that he wanted a good clean fight. Both JJ and Triple H had the thought 'yeah, right' flash through their minds. Then, the bell rang, and the match began.

Backstage, after the match, Triple H was talking with Shawn Michaels.

"Yeah, I know, I didn't expect her to come on that strong either," he said.

"I thought for sure that knee of hers would slow her down," Shawn responded.

"So did I."

"She did really well for her first night back."

"Yeah. I kind of feel bad about beating her, though."

"Well, we both know that she is one hell of a competitor, and she knows that when it all comes down it, getting the 'W' is all that matters."

"Right."

"And if she has a problem with that, she can address it with you directly—"

"With a steel chair?" A new voice cut in." Triple H spun around, saw JJ holding the chair like a baseball bat, and ducked before she even swung. JJ laughed. "Dude, chill out. I know you only did what you had to. We are even. All I wanted was the return match." She laid the chair on the ground and flashed him a smile.

"We are even?"

"We are even."

Triple H grinned. "Well, all right, then. JJ, if I can tell one thing about people, it is whether or not they can make it in this business. And let me tell you, that you're going places. And," he added as he draped an arm around her shoulders in a friendly manner, "With a little assistance from good ole Degeneration X, you can shoot straight to the top."

JJ feigned excited interest. "Really? You would do that for me? Golly Triple H, you sure are one swell guy!"

"No, I'm serious. It is a trade kind of thing…you help us with something we want to do, and in return, we help you with something you want to do."

"What could I possibly help you two with?" JJ asked dubiously. At this, Shawn began laughing. JJ just looked at him. He smiled. "Whoa! Wait just a minute—"

"Not that," said Triple H, giving Shawn an elbow in the ribs. "Believe me; what I have in mind is going to be fun for everyone." As he said this last part, Jonathan Coachman came strolling around the corner, and gave the three of them an odd look as he passed. "Walk and talk, JJ, because the walls have ears," Triple H added and steered her and Shawn off down the corridor.


	2. The Missing Sage

Chapter Two: The Missing Sage

In the realm of Darkness, chaos ensued. The Spirit of Darkness, named Xander, was outraged that his most trusted advisor, Phoenix, had disappeared. She was probably hanging out in the human world. 'Well fine,' he thought. 'Let her stay there and come back reeking of mortality. I do not need her.' Except he did.

The enemies of their world, the citizens of light, were once again encroaching upon Dark territory. And Phoenix was not just his advisor. She was the most powerful magician in the realm. That was why she was the Dark Sage. She had passed the tests with flying colors while she was a small child. The elders in the Council of Magic had almost locked her away because she was so powerful. Xander had talked them down, because he was certain that Phoenix had the control and the ability to completely master the art of Dark magic.

The elders had agreed to allow Phoenix to preside as Sage of Darkness solely because of Xander's influence on her. That was the other reason he needed her right now. She was his sister.

"Damn you, Phoenix," he muttered. "Where are you?"

He looked out the large window, across the plains where countless creatures, some harmless, some not, lurked. He scowled at what he saw: The sun was rising. It was beginning to look like war for the Dark realm.


	3. Risk vs Reward

Chapter Three: Risk vs. Reward

The chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment sat at his desk, facing one of the biggest investments he had ever made. JJ sat on the other side of the desk, staring back at him. She had no idea how much she was worth to the company; they always downplayed the fact that whenever she made an appearance on a television program, pay-per-view, or even just at a house show that never made it to television, merchandise sales sky-rocketed.

JJ sighed. "What is it you wanted to see me about, Vince?"

"Before that incident with Triple H tonight—"

"Incident? I believe the correct term you are looking for is 'match', Vince. It was a wrestling match. Perhaps you have heard of them?"

Vince fought to keep his temper under control. "That 'match' was not sanctioned by me, or my executive assistant, therefore it is null and void."

"Executive assistant? Are you talking about Coach? Man, I thought you had higher standards than that."

"JJ, we're not here to discuss whether or not you approve of the people I hire. You are here right now because I have a question for you. It is a simple question that I expect you to respond to with a simple answer, not a roundabout explanation or a rhetorical question, alright?"

"Fire away."

"Did you really think you could get away with it?"

"Um…"

"With telling the referee, the fans, your opponent, that you had actually been cleared to wrestle tonight? You know very well that you were not even supposed to return to Raw for another three weeks, and that you were not to participate in any matches until after Thanksgiving. You forged a note saying that you were medically able to compete, and put the entire company at risk of a lawsuit! Did you really think you could get away with it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because. I'm JJ. That's what I do, Vince. All those doctors, they don't know what they're talking about. They all say that I can't wrestle until the beginning of December, but they wouldn't give me a reason. They said that there was no way for me to prove that I could come back early without needing their consent, so I created my own way."

"You just…showed up."

"That's right. And you want to know the funny thing?"

"What's that?" asked Vince, not really interested.

JJ grinned and leaned over the desk a little. "Nobody tried to stop me. Think about that." With that, she turned and walked out the door. Vince was left sitting at his desk, pondering what she meant by that.

No one had tried to stop her? But that was impossible. Every wrestler returning from an injury gets a last minute physical right before their match. Even with the forged doctor's note, there was no way that JJ could have skipped the physical. Weird. He would have to have a word with the trainers about that.

"Coach?" He called.

"Yeah, boss," Vince's executive assistant responded immediately.

"Would you send the head trainer in here, please? I need to have a word with him."

"Right away, boss."


	4. War In Paradise

Chapter Four: War in Paradise

Xander sat up quickly at the sound of the outer door of the house being closed. He had been reading some book about Vampiric hypnosis and had dozed off. He heard the inner door close much more quietly and peered through the Darkness to see who was trying—and failing—to sneak in quietly. For about half a second, he was on edge. But then he recognized his sister's silhouette.

"Late night, Phoenix?" She started, and whirled to face him. Neither of them bothered to turn on a light. Being powerful Dark beings, they could make out enough to see what they had to see, and in this sense, detail wasn't important.

"Actually, dear brother, it is morning. Therefore, I'm quite early, and you have absolutely no reason to be up at this hour. Go back to sleep, now." She turned to leave.

"Phoenix." She stopped, and turned to face him. Now he decided to turn on the light. He was surprised by what he saw. His sister sported a black eye and dried blood on one side of her face. He noted that she held herself in an odd manner, and suspected she had received some sort of leg injury. "Holy Darkness. What happened to you?"

"nothing."

"nothing, huh? I have never seen 'nothing' do so much damage."

"I just got into a little fight in the human world."

"A 'little' fight? Against how many people?"

She paused, as though she were counting. "Four or five."

"Four or five?" Xander repeated in disbelief.

"Ish."

"Sit," he said, motioning to a chair.

"Oh, come on, Xander, it wasn't even that bad!"

"Then why are you bleeding?"

She grinned. "not my blood."

"Yeah?" Suddenly he uttered a spell that would reveal any injuries she had sustained with an unearthly purplish glow. She was right; it wasn't as bad as he would thought. Although, she was bleeding. She would been stabbed in the abdomen, a shallow but nasty cut. "What about right here?" He asked, pointing to the wound.

"What--? Oh, shit I didn't even see that!"

"You're such a liar."

"Am not."

"Yes, you're. You're breathing is shallow. You knew there was an injury there because it hurts to breathe. Now hold still."

He began whispering the enchantments that would heal her injuries. She groaned, and complained that she could heal herself, she wasn't a kid anymore, and countless other excuses to get out of sitting through the spell. Xander ignored her. He didn't speak to her again until he was finished.

"Now, if I were you, I would get off to bed pretty quick. I have a feeling you're going to need a lot of energy to get you through the next couple of days."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it looks like we are going to go to war with Paradise."

"Seriously? Can we even do that? It seems like war in Paradise is just like…Shit, I don't know, like the real world."

'Paradise' was the name that Dark creatures used to refer to the realm of light. Light creatures believed that they were holier than all other beings, mostly because the vast majority of humans, in addition to all the light citizens, worshipped the Spirit of Light. In the Council of Magic, this gave Paradise a majority ruling, even though humans didn't participate in the Council.

The humans themselves had killed the delegate from the human world about two thousand years ago, resulting in an uneven distribution of influence in the Council of Magic. Fortunately, the Council only ruled on matters that affected all four realms. There had only been one such matter since the human delegate's murder—that was the matter of whether or not Phoenix should be allowed to reign as Dark Sage, and that had been resolved more or less peacefully.

"Yes, we can do that," Xander responded to her question. "Paradise has broken the Treaty of Bounds, for about the fifth time now, and it is time we put an end to it. They are no longer loitering on the edges of this realm; they are infiltrating it and attacking our citizens. If you hadn't spent so much time getting into fights in the human world, you would know that."

"Well, excuse me for trying to have a little fun. This whole life is kind of boring, you know."

"That is exactly the attitude that almost cost you Sagehood. The elders didn't believe that you were mature enough, and I'm starting to think that they were right."

"Oh, come on! I'm, like, totally mature, and stuff!"

Xander shook his head sadly. "Go to bed, Phoenix. We'll talk about this in the morning."

"It is morning, dumbass. I already told you that. Weren't you—" At that moment, something dawned on both of them.

"It is morning." They both said at the same time. The rise of the morning sun hadn't been seen in this realm since Xander had run Gabriel out back before the Council started recognizing the human world as its own realm.

"Gabriel is back," Xander said with a glum look on his face. "This is gonna be hell."


	5. The Interrogation

Chapter Five: The Interrogation

"Boss, the head trainer is here to see you."

"Thanks, Coach, send him in."

A few moments later, the head trainer for World Wrestling Entertainment stood humbly before Vince McMahon.

"I understand you wanted to see me, sir?" he asked timidly.

"That is right, I did. Now, I just have one question for you: Did you clear JJ to wrestle tonight?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"According to my examination of her right knee, the one that was injured last year, it was healed and she was ready to compete."

"Really."

"Yes, sir."

"So, if I were to send JJ to have that knee x-rayed or an MRI or whatever you call it, the test would come back saying that she is fit as a fiddle. Is that what you're saying?"

"Sir, in my experience with this company, I have dealt with many competitors who think they are ready to return when they really aren't. I can tell you without any doubt, Mr. McMahon, JJ was completely ready to return to action tonight, both physically and mentally. In fact, if I didn't already know that she had been injured, I would have wondered why she was gone for so long."

Vince seemed to consider this for a moment, and then nodded. "Very well then. I'll send JJ to a specialist to have her knee looked at. And if that specialist has any reason to doubt that she should be back in the ring," he drew himself up menacingly, "I'll have your job."

As the man left the office, Vince pondered what he had said. He mentioned that he couldn't tell JJ was injured if he hadn't already known. Was it possible that JJ had healed that completely in such a short amount of time? The thought lingered for a moment before Vince brushed it away. He was just used to dealing with older competitors. JJ was young; it made sense that she should heal faster. He set about finding a specialist to take a look at JJ's knee.

He made a few contacts and eventually found a guy at the University of Texas Southwestern. That was good. JJ wouldn't be happy about having to see a specialist. At least one in her home state might offset her temper. To tell the truth, JJ scared Vince a little bit.


	6. The Confrontation

Chapter Six: The Confrontation

"Gabriel!"

A tall man dressed all in gold-ish colors spun around to face Xander and Phoenix. They both wore looks of fury. Xander's face showed no other emotion, but he could detect undertones of amusement on Phoenix's. Clearly she found this whole situation quite funny.

"Xander! Phoenix! Long time, no see!" The man in gold responded.

"Not long enough," retorted Xander. "Last time I saw you, I had run you out of this realm. Why are you back?"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. Anyways, why do you care?"

"I don't care about you, if that is what you're implying. I'm only concerned with the safety of my territory. Now, I won't have you stall any longer. What do you want, and why are you here?"

"So touchy. Well, if you must know, I'm here on behalf of the Kingdom of Light."

"I figured as much. You were a traitor all those years ago, and you're still a traitor now. You make me sick. Go! Return to your master and tell him that he shall pay for sending such a sniveling coward as you to stink up my world," spat Xander.

"Xander, really!" Gabriel faked a look of shock and glanced at Phoenix. "There are children present! You aren't setting a very good example for our baby sister."

Phoenix had kept an amused half-smile on her face throughout the whole exchange, but this comment chased it away faster than blinking. "You're no brother of mine," she stated coldly. "And as far as me being a child, you only think that because you were never around to see me grow up."

"I was never around because our 'loving' parents," Gabriel made a face at that, "disowned me. They didn't want me around."

"Because you walked away from our beliefs."

"Pardon me if I didn't worship the Devil!"

"You know very well that that isn't what we did! And you, with your 'holier-than-thou' attitude, didn't even bother to come to their funeral! I bet you got some serious brownie points for that, didn't you?"

Gabriel sighed. "We both know that no one wanted me at their funeral, Phoenix." He sounded a little dejected, but then brightened. "But why are we wasting time arguing about our lives as humans? We should be celebrating!"

Xander and Phoenix looked at each other. "Celebrating what?" Xander asked, honestly perplexed.

Gabriel smiled sunnily. "Why, the upcoming conquering of your world, by mine, of course."

Phoenix coughed; an odd noise that sounded amazingly like the words "bull shit."

"So that's why you led the sun into the sky today. That is awfully confident of you." Xander tried to sound nonchalant, but he wasn't doing a very good job of it. In truth, he was actually quite worried, now.

Gabriel was a servant to the Kingdom of Light's warlord. He was in charge of raising the sun over conquered lands; a power that only citizens of Light had, and only a few of them at that.

"Yes, Xander. It is confident. But you know as well as I do that your realm is finished. We are far more advanced; therefore we have a distinct advantage. I'm here today to deliver a message. I raised the sun today not in victory, but as a warning."

"A warning?"

"Yes. After all, I wouldn't want this victory to come too easily, now would I?" He smiled a bright, yet somehow disturbing smile.

"You bastard!" Phoenix yelled. "Get out of here, before I blast you into your next life!"

"If only you could, dear sister. If only you could."

Phoenix snorted. Gabriel had no idea what she was capable of. As far as she knew, word of her attaining Sagehood hadn't yet reached the major parts of the other worlds. Well, maybe she would give him a taste of her power to put a little respect into him. Although he was older and male, she was superior to him, because of her status as Dark Sage. She raised her arm and directed her palm at him.

"Phoenix, no!" But Xander's warning came too late. Phoenix had already whispered the hex. A projectile of Dark matter was fired form her outstretched palm. It hit Gabriel squarely in the chest. He was thrown off his feet, and landed twenty feet away.

Gabriel stood up gasping. "You little--! You will pay for that!"

"Be gone, whelp. You're of no concern to me." Unconsciously, Phoenix had switched to the Royal Speech. Learning the alternate form of her language had been a part of her training to become a Sage. She seldom used it, though, except when she was particularly angry, or just felt like throwing her weight--all 130 pounds of it--around. Gabriel's face paled when he heard her speak like that.

With a look of astonished fury, he disappeared back to his world with a sound like a high tension cable snapping. Phoenix smiled at her handiwork. She turned to Xander and was surprised to find him looking aghast at what she had done.


	7. Cooperation

Chapter Seven: Cooperation

Chairman of the board of World Wrestling Entertainment, Vince McMahon sat at his desk reading a letter with a growing sense of dismay. It had been two weeks since he had informed JJ of the stipulation regarding her return. He had been right; she was decidedly less than thrilled about having to see a specialist.

It was a well-known fact that she didn't like doctors, and this one was no different. However, although the appointment had been awkward—JJ spoke very little throughout the whole exam—the specialist from Texas had confirmed what the head trainer already knew. There was almost nothing wrong with JJ's knee.

The part that disturbed Vince the most was a very small portion of the doctor's letter of consent for JJ to wrestle. It read:

'I wondered for a long while why you sent this young lady to see me. Just by looking at the knee itself, I could find nothing wrong. It moved just fine, and she showed know pain when I touched it. I couldn't figure out why she was there until I had her get an X-Ray. It revealed a serious injury. Rest assured, though. It is completely healed. Therefore, I give my consent for—"

The letter went on to say that JJ was allowed to wrestle, and had been signed with the classic closing 'best wishes, Dr. Blah-blah-blah'. Vince didn't care about that. After he had thought about it, he decided that his gut feeling had been right. JJ had healed too fast to have been normal. not that he was upset that she was back; she was the second best at bringing in the ratings. Only DX got more than she did. And the difference was that she didn't get on his nerves nearly as much as Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

Suddenly, Vince's breath caught in his throat. Thinking of DX had made him realize something. He hadn't seen Triple H or Shawn Michaels all night. That could only mean one thing: They were up to something.

Having been finally cleared to wrestle, Vince McMahon had restored JJ to the active Raw roster. That meant that things would return to the way they were before JJ had been injured. Her band, Island To Discover, had been in charge of performing all the music for every show. That meant that the Raw theme song, and most of the superstars' entrance music was played live. It made the show more enjoyable for the audience, and sometimes the band took requests between matches.

At the moment, though, JJ was on her cell phone arguing with her bass player, John.

"I know I came back early and you weren't prepared. You're only about the twenty second person to tell me that. Okay, look, whatever. It doesn't matter, all right? Just make sure you guys are here next week. Me? I guess I'll just have to play solo tonight, won't I? Of course I know all the songs! And even if I didn't, I've got my Ipod with me. Yeah. Uh-huh. Okay. See you next week."

This whole exchange had actually been a ruse. She was really just waiting for DX to show up, and then the three of them would go through an abbreviated, planned version of the agreement they had reached a couple of weeks before. The trick was to make the audience—and their potential victim—think that this arrangement had been thought of on the fly. Also, the audience wouldn't realize that JJ was talking to DX until the very last second, and then the show would cut to commercial. This entire act had been coordinated by Triple H, and more importantly, behind Vince's back without anyone except him, Shawn, JJ and one cameraman knowing about it. It was actually quite impressive.

While JJ had been talking on the phone, she had been leaning on a wall facing away from whatever pedestrian traffic would pass through the area. As she turned back, she was surprised to find two figures standing almost directly behind her. She nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Holy. Crap. Where in the hell did you guys come from?"

The two men said nothing. They only stared at her.

"Okay…well, it was nice talking to you. I guess I'll see you around." She moved to walk around them, but the bigger one grabbed her by the arm and looked her straight in the eye.

"We need your help," he said.

JJ was stunned. "You two need _my_ help?"

The thinner one nodded. "We have got this plan, see. But it has an instrumental part, and the only person who can help us pull it off by playing that part…is you."

"You guys need _my_ help?" JJ repeated.

"We can't do it without you."

She looked from one man to the other, and gave a mental 'what the hell?'

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she said. "What could you possibly need my help with, Triple H?"


	8. Realization

Chapter Eight: Realization

"What's wrong?" Phoenix asked her older brother for about the hundredth time. Again, he just shook his head and didn't say anything. Phoenix was growing annoyed with him. She had lived with him for the past fifteen years, and still he didn't tell her anything. On the flipside, she told him almost everything. Xander listened patiently, and usually tricked Phoenix into coming up with solutions to things in one way or another. He didn't think that she knew it, but she did.

They had walked back to the house. It wasn't very far from where they had confronted Gabriel, so they didn't feel the need to teleport. Now, Phoenix wished they had. Xander ignoring her was making her angry.

"Hey!" She said loudly. "Xander, what the hell is wrong? Ever since Gabriel left, you haven't said a word. Do you know what Paradise is planning, or something? Come on, man, clue me in!" Still he didn't say anything. Frustrated, Phoenix shot a tiny amount of Dark matter at him. It him on his bare arm and caused him to jump.

"Don't do that," was all he said.

"Why not?" Phoenix wondered, pleased to have finally gotten a reaction out of him. She shot another bit of matter at him. Sometimes she loved being a Sage.

"Cut it out, girl." Phoenix stopped, surprised. Xander hadn't called her that since she was a young magician, barely capable of conjuring a glass of water.

"'Girl?' You haven't called me that in, like, forever. Dude, you're starting to freak me out. What's wrong?"

By this point, they had arrived back at the small house they shared. Stepping inside, Xander turned to her. "Didn't you see it?"

"See what?"

"The look in Gabriel's eyes. That wasn't just cockiness. That was actual confidence. He honestly believes that Paradise knows something we don't, or has some trick up his sleeve that we haven't thought of."

"But we have thought of everything."

"Have we? I don't think so. Think about it. What's the only place that we didn't bother checking out when we first started putting up defenses against Paradise?"

"Uh…the mountains. But no one lives up there. The weather is too messed up and unpredictable. Only a mad man would live up there."

"And who do we know who is supposedly mad?"

Phoenix thought about it, and paled. "Oh no," was all she said.

Xander nodded. "We have to go warn him."


	9. Pulling Pranks on a Dead Man

Chapter Nine: Pulling Pranks on a Dead Man

"Tell me again why I am helping you?" JJ asked Triple H and Shawn Michaels.

"Because, we would not look innocent enough. You have only been back for, what, four weeks? You have not had enough time to get into serious trouble. All you have to do is stand over there," he pointed to a spot that was strategically positioned halfway around a corner, "and talk to the Undertaker for a minute or two."

"Talk about what? I do not know anything about dead people or occult rituals, and I am pretty sure that the Undertaker does not want to discuss whether or not the new Epiphone would sound good on a tube amp."

"You may be right. But the other reason we need your help is that you are smart. Do not worry, you will think of something."

"Okay, I got it!" Triple H called from down the corridor. For some reason, they had decided that Vince McMahon just was not a challenge anymore. They wanted to pull a prank on someone who was truly legendary. Why they had picked the Undertaker, JJ could not even begin to imagine.

The plan was simple. JJ was to distract the Undertaker, who would be returning from his match, for enough time so that DX could finish setting up the strange mechanism they were currently constructing. The device was attached to the door of the Undertaker's locker room. When he opened it, green paint would topple down upon him. While he was stumbling backwards in surprise and disgust, he would trip a wire that would unleash thousands of feathers, which would stick to the paint. Finally, a banner would unfurl from the ceiling that read, "Marry me, Vince."

"Are you guys done yet?" JJ called. She would rather they finish sooner, so that she would not have to distract the Undertaker at all. But of course, that was not the case. JJ heard Lillian announce the winner of the match that had just ended out in the ring.

"Here is your winner, The Undertaker!"

"Shit," JJ cursed under her breath.

"Get ready, Jay, he will be coming down any second," called Shawn from the other end of the corridor, next to The Undertaker's dressing room.

Only a few moments later, JJ heard the familiar scurrying of stage hands and technicians as they tried to get out of the way of a particularly terrifying wrestler. They acted that way around especially huge people, like Kane, Big Show and of course, The Undertaker. Suddenly, he appeared at the far end of the corridor that ran perpendicular to the one that Trips and Shawn were working in. JJ pretended not to notice him as he approached.

"Hey, JJ," he said as he neared her.

"Taker! Man, I did not…see you…lumbering along terrifying the crew and blocking all light with your immense-ness."

"Really?" He replied raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"Okay, whatever. So, how's it feel to be back on Raw?"

JJ breathed a sigh of relief. At least they had one thing in common. "You have no idea what it is like to be gone for so long and then just come back when no one is expecting it…" she paused and thought about it for a second. "Actually, you probably do. You hold the world record for random appearances, I do believe."

"How kind of you to notice." The Undertaker lowered his voice and leaned casually against a wall. He had known JJ for a long time, and he could tell something was up. "So," he said softly, "what are you up to?"

"Up to? Me? I am not up to anything, besides five foot seven."

"Liar," he said accusingly.

"No, seriously!" JJ could not shake the feeling that he was reading her mind. Although, it was probably because she had a horrible poker face at the moment and was giving herself away.

"JJ, whoever you are covering for, just give it up, I can see right through you. Come on; tell me. Maybe I will play along," he said and offered a reassuring wink.

JJ sighed. "Triple H and Shawn Michaels have got it into their heads that they can prank you…and I am the distraction."

"Hmm. That is rather interesting. So, what exactly are they doing?"

"Booby trapping your dressing room I had nothing to with it please do not kill me," she said very quickly in one breath.

"My dressing room? So, you can see them from where you are, but I cannot. How very clever." He seemed to think about it for a second. "Okay, I will play. What do I do?"

"Just walk in to your dressing room. They are supposed to come and walk past us when they are done, so I know I can stop stalling. It is actually a pretty elaborate plan."

"I see."

At that moment, Triple H and Shawn Michaels came sauntering past the two of them, trying very hard to look innocent—a difficult task for them.

"Oh, hello Undertaker," said Triple H.

"Fancy seeing you here," added Shawn. "Nice weather, is not it?" He glanced out a nearby window and saw that it was raining in biblical proportions. "Erm, I mean it is okay for this part of the country, right?"

"Sure," said the Undertaker. "Well, if you three will excuse me—" He turned and headed off towards his dressing room. Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and JJ huddled together out of sight, just around the corner. They were ready to run if it came to that. They waited for the telltale splash of falling paint, and the soft whoosh of descending feathers. For a while, they did not come. Then, just when they thought the trap had failed—

SPLASH!

Whoosh…

They grinned. They could not wait to see what the Undertaker would look like covered in feathers. The world's biggest rooster was what they all pictured. They stepped back around the corner, prepared to laugh their butts off, but were unprepared for the scene they saw.

The Undertaker stood in the midst of the most amazing mess any of them had ever seen. Paint and feathers were strewn everywhere, and the banner had fallen from the ceiling and lay in the middle of the area. But The Undertaker was as clean as a whistle. Not a drop of paint had landed on him, and no feather had dared to adhere itself to him.

"Really, is that the best you could do?" He asked, before entering his dressing room.


	10. Warning

Chapter Ten: Warning

Another storm had hit the mountains. This would be the fourth one this month. It was shaping up to be a bad year. Mir, the guardian of the mountains, didn't know how he was going to protect this edge of the Dark Realm if he couldn't see past his own front porch. He sighed, and glanced up at the darkening sky. He was surprised at what he saw.

A beautiful crimson bird sailed among the clouds, dodging lightning bolts and singing with the thunder. It circled directly above him, getting lower and lower with each pass. Finally, it landed on the railing of the porch. Mir approached it slowly, until he recognized it.

"You shouldn't fly in storms like this, little phoenix, you might get fried." He offered his arm to the bird and it stepped up and perched on his shoulder. "What are you doing out on a day like today, anyways?" He wondered, as he stepped inside carrying the phoenix.

"Looking for you," the bird replied. Mir was startled.

"What the…" he said as the bird fluttered off his shoulder and landed on the ground inside his small cabin. Before his eyes, it's feathers ruffled and morphed. The whole shape of the bird changed, until it had assumed the form of a human. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to warn you," replied Phoenix. She knew it would sound weird. She and her second oldest brother, Mir, hadn't been on speaking terms since she would start training to become a Sage. She couldn't imagine that he would believe a word she said, but she had to try.

"Warn me? About what?" Mir asked suspiciously.

"I don't know yet. Paradise is planning something, but we don't have any details. The mountains are our weakest point right now. We thought it best that you be in on this."

"We?" said Mir. "So you and Xander are up to something, huh? Why should I believe you?"

Phoenix sighed. So it had come to this. "You don't have to believe me if you don't want to. But I feel better knowing I gave you a warning, in case the mountains get attacked," she turned to go. "And remember Mir, if you ever need anything, just blow something up and I will be right here."

Stepping out into the storm, she assumed the form of the bird that was her namesake. She cast one final glance at her estranged sibling, and took off. Mir watched her go, almost sad that there had been so much love lost between them. Before she disappeared over the horizon, Phoenix gave a screech of farewell. Mir smiled.


	11. Taking Control

Chapter Eleven: Taking Control

Triple H and Shawn Michaels were walking around backstage, looking for JJ. It was a couple weeks after the incident with the Undertaker occurred. This was a house show, and wasn't televised, so everyone was being less formal than they normally were. But JJ had taken it a bit too far. She had completely disappeared. Degeneration X wondered if maybe she was avoiding them, but they ruled that out almost immediately. They had found out that their plot had been revealed the night it had happened. Of course, JJ had embellished the story quite a bit, saying that the Undertaker had threatened bodily harm if she didn't give up the prank to him. JJ knew this and DX knew this, and DX knew that JJ knew, but JJ didn't know that DX knew. As a whole, the situation was quite confusing.

Finally, Shawn and Trips grew so fed up with searching for the blue-haired teen that they took drastic measures. The two of them marched out to the arena, to the delight of the fans, and took over the ring, effectively ending the match that had been taking place.

"Okay, now we have a problem," said Triple H. "We have searched high, and we have searched low—"

"Give me that!" said Shawn as he snatched the microphone away from his friend. "Triple H, I'm sorry, but now isn't the time for one of your long-winded speeches. It is time to cut to the chase," he turned to face the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen…we have no idea where JJ is. Nobody does. She has disappeared. So, I guess what we are trying to say is…JJ WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"That is a good question," her voice rang out from some unknown source. Trips and Shawn looked at each other, and then up at the ceiling, as though they expected to see the young Diva balanced among the rafters. "Nope, not up there."

"Well, then where are you? We need to talk to you about what happened last week with the Undertaker."

"I…don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do."

"Just, tell us where you're," said Triple H, reclaiming the microphone from Shawn, "and we can go over it."

"Tell you where I'm? Why would I do a silly thing like that?" DX was becoming extremely confused now. Each time JJ said something, it came from a different source. First in the overhead speakers, then the ones by the ring, then somewhere out in the audience. They were both growing frustrated.

"I'll tell you what," said JJ's voice. "I'll give you three hints. From where I'm now, I can do this—"

All the lights in the arena turned off.

"And this—"

Artificial fog began billowing down the ramp.

"And…this."

A huge blast of pyrotechnics went off directly above the ring. Shawn looked at Triple H and mouthed 'control truck'. Triple H nodded. The two of them headed off.


	12. To The Human World!

Chapter Twelve: To the Human World!

"Did you find him?" the question what out of Xander's mouth before the phoenix even landed on the windowsill. It screeched at him. "Don't do that. You're gonna make me deaf."

Resuming human form, Phoenix responded, "Well, we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"Did you find him?" Xander asked again.

She sighed. "Yes, I found him. He is fine for now; the mountains haven't been attacked."

"Yet."

"Yeah, that is the part that worries me. I figure we've got until the floods in spring. We've got lots of snow coming towards the mountains, so that will deter Paradise for now. You know how terribly fond of bad weather they are."

"Plus there is the fact that all of them are about as brave as a two-year-old human. They will wait until the conditions are perfect, then attack."

"So, how do we prevent the conditions from becoming perfect?" Phoenix wondered.

"Snow," Xander replied. "Lots and lots of snow."

"Oh. Well that's easy enough. I should be able to come up with a spell pretty—why are you shaking your head at me like that?"

"Sorry, kiddo. You're just not cut out for this job. I need a pro."

"What? Are you kidding me?" sputtered Phoenix. "I can totally cast a storm spell!"

"I know you can. But not the kind we need. When I want it to rain, you can cast the spell. When I want the most devastating blizzard this realm has ever seen, I'm calling a thunder mage."

"Psh! Thunder mage, schmunder mage!"

"You know as well as I do that a storm spell cast by a thunder mage is ten times more powerful than one cast by any other being," said Xander with a half-smile.

"Yeah, well…" Phoenix muttered. "I'm still the best at conjuring Dark matter."

Xander rolled his eyes. "Yes. Yes you are. Now then, if we want this storm to happen before we all die of old age, I'd better be off."

"Can I come too?" Phoenix asked hopefully.

"You just got back from a long journey, and we can't teleport there," he said. He felt bad when his sister hung her head and began to shuffle away. Sometimes he forgot how young she was. "And besides, don't you have something to take care of in the Human world?"

Phoenix was confused. The last time she would been in the Human world, she would gotten mixed up with some hoodlums, and her cover had nearly been blown. But then she remembered something. "Oh yeah! I can't believe I forgot about that!"

"Have fun," Xander said with a smile. "And don't die. That would really screw things up. I'll try to come get you if I find Talzera quickly enough."

"Sure. Tell her I said 'hi'."

"Will do." With that, the ruler of the Dark realm, and he and the Dark Sage parted ways.

**Woo-hoo! Twelve chapters! That's a record for me! So how's it going so far? You know, I don't have any real friends. Those little emails that say I've got a review are the most exciting thing that happens to me...hint hintcoughreview pleasecoughhintwinkhint :-D thanks in advance...**


	13. Finding JJ

Chapter Thirteen: Finding JJ

DX was running. The two of them had figured out pretty quickly that JJ was in the control truck, but they had been interrupted in their journey to find her. That is, they had been forcibly dragged into Vince McMahon's office and interrogated thoroughly about the whereabouts of the Diva. Finally, Triple H had grown so fed up with Vince that he had power-bombed the chairman through a desk, while Shawn super kicked the security guard that tried to stop him.

After the two of them escaped the office, they headed directly for the control truck. Vince's son, Shane, had sent an entire squadron of police officers to arrest them for assault, which was why they were now running. If they could just reach the truck, they could barricade themselves inside. Of course, then they would be evading arrest, but as long as they did not get caught it was okay.

Shawn was a couple steps ahead of Triple H. As the two of them rounded a corner, he collided with something that brought him to a painful halt. Triple H just barely avoided running into the Undertaker as well. Shawn had been knocked to the ground, but the Undertaker remained standing, rubbing his right arm where the smaller man had barreled into it.

"Geez, where are you two off to in such a hurry?" he asked.

"Sorry, Taker. We have to find JJ quick, and Vince has cops chasing after us," answered Triple H as he hauled Shawn to his feet.

"Oh. Well, she is in that control truck," he pointed, "but if you go in there, you might get shot at."

"Shot at?" Repeated Shawn. "Why would she be shooting at anything?"

"She found a paintball gun and is having quite a merry time with it. I think that the crew inside the truck thinks that they're being held hostage. They all seemed rather terrified."

"I think we'll take our chances," Triple H said as he glanced over his shoulder. The group of cops chasing them rounded the corner and came within sight of DX. "Shit! Sorry, Taker, we have got to run!" The two of them took off again in a dead sprint for the control truck. They made it inside, and slammed the door just as the fastest cop caught up with them. They heard him curse as the metal door smashed into his face.

"What took you guys so long?" They turned around to find JJ seated at a monitor having all sorts of fun finding out which buttons did what. As they watched, she selected a key at random, pressed it, and laughed as four fountains of fire lit up the ring posts.

"Oh, you know. We almost got arrested, stopped to chat with the Undertaker, assaulted the chairman of the board. Normal things like that."

"Well, what did you need me for?"

"Actually, you've already gone and enacted the first part of our plan: Taking over the control truck," Shawn said. He was impressed. Although JJ was small, she had a reputation for being amazingly tough and strong. He remembered the time she had almost lifted Kane off his feet during a match. The large man had averted this only by grabbing onto the top rope, but it was still an impressive feat. And now, JJ had commandeered an entire truck full of WWE personnel.

JJ raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Have not you two already done this trick?" She asked, recalling the time the two of them had messed with all the controls and wreaked havoc on the show for two hours. She had been particularly amused when they had somehow "drawn" a chicken and the words "Vince loves cocks" on the television screen near Vince's head.

"Yeah, but this time it's different. Back then, we were just pushing random buttons to see what happened. Now, we have one thing that we need to accomplish, and then we're gonna get arrested."

"What do you need to do?"

Triple H grinned and explained the plan to her.


	14. On The Air

Chapter Fourteen: On the Air

Vince was cautiously making his way to the ring. DX and JJ had had total control of the night's events for over half an hour, but thus far nothing much had happened. Only JJ's initial button pushing, and one accidental explosion caused by Shawn leaning on the wrong thing.

Now, though, he suspected that the three of them were planning to do something horrible to him, Vince, and his associate. His only saving grace was that this was a house show. They didn't have control of the television cameras because it wasn't being recorded, therefore, whatever happened, only the few thousand people in the arena would see it.

'Ha! Only a few thousand' Vince thought.

As his music hit, he walked down the ramp and into the ring with his usual power-walk. He did a thorough examination of the area around and under the ring, before he was satisfied that no traps had been laid.

_Here comes the money!_

Vince's son Shane joined him in the ring. The two of them were as dynamic a duo as were Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Vince picked up a microphone.

"Now, many of you may be aware that three individuals whom I have been having problems with lately have taken over our control truck, and are now in a sense, running the show. But rest assured; they may have the ability to set off explosions, play with the lights, mess up the microphones and cause general mayhem. But the McMahon's are still in charge."

The audience laughed at that. Apparently, Vince hadn't been paying close enough attention to the action in the arena. At the end of the last match, Edge had pinned John Cena. Heading up the ramp, he waited for his music to hit before leaving. However, instead of the Alter Bridge song that signaled his arrival, the Canadian national anthem began playing. This had quickly degenerated into "the chicken dance song" with much of the audience following along. Also, whenever Edge and Lita had tried to get past the top of the ramp, a wall of fire blocked their exit. This sequence ended when Cena caught up to Edge and gave him an FU. Obviously, DX and JJ were making their presence known.

"You people think this is funny?" Vince asked in rage. How dare these simpletons mock him? "You just keep laughing, then. I'll have every one of you thrown out of this arena!" At this point, Shane took the microphone from his father, urging him to calm down.

"JJ. DX. You've had your fun," he said. "Now, it's time to be mature, responsible adults, and own up to your actions. DX, I'm sure you two are aware that there is a warrant out for your arrest, and JJ…well don't think that you're getting off Scot free either. In fact—"

_THPBBT!_

A loud raspberry echoed through the arena, cutting off Shane in mid sentence. He made a face. "Now see here--!"

_THPBBT!_

The audience was laughing harder than ever.

"Sorry, Shane," Triple H's voice added to the noise. "I had burritos for lunch. I totally didn't mean for that to happen," he said, sounding entirely insincere.

"Triple H, you three need to—"

_THPBBT!_

"Oh, by the way, we have got great news. We found some television cameras. And not only that, we found people who know how to use them. But wait, it gets better. JJ here just got off the phone with the USA Network. Guess what?" Abruptly, the TitanTron was lit up, as a camera focused on Triple H, Shawn Michaels and JJ sitting inside the cramped confines of the control truck. "We are live on the air."

Both Vince and Shane paled. This couldn't be good.

"Now, I know what you're thinking," said JJ, taking the microphone from Triple H. "Why would the USA network just randomly decide to let us broadcast live? Surely they actually had some wholesome family programming scheduled! Well…no. Just a rerun of some sitcom, actually. Trust me, what we have got planned is way more entertaining."

"Tell them what else you did, JJ," said Shawn leaning over to the microphone. JJ grinned.

"Ah, yes. Now, this is actually one of my proudest achievements. Take a look at this," she said and punched a couple buttons. A screen shot of the WWE homepage flashed up onto the TitanTron. That meant it also showed up on any television screen in the nation that had been tuned to USA. The headline read 'DX and JJ take over house show and broadcast live!' There was no additional information. "Not only did I hack into the website, Vince, I also sent out a WWE mobile alert. Right about now, there should be millions—"

_And millions!_ The audience added enthusiastically.

"Right. And millions of people tuning in to see what we have in store for you. But that is later. Right now, just enjoy the show." The TitanTron went dark, and Lillian Garcia announced the next match.

The McMahon's were aghast. They were about to be humiliated on national television, and there wasn't anything they could do to stop it.

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall, and is for the intercontinental championship! Introducing first, from Cameron, North Carolina, he is the WWE Intercontinental Champion…Jeff Hardy! And his opponent…" Lillian's voice trailed off. With all the commotion backstage, Vince had never gotten around to naming an opponent for Jeff Hardy. Of course, whoever it was would have to be fine with losing the match. Titles almost never changed hands at house shows, so Hardy's win was guaranteed.

"Dad?" Shane addressed his father backstage.

"What?" Vince responded darkly.

"No opponent was ever named for the intercontinental championship match…and Jeff Hardy is in the ring right now, waiting."

"What…oh, hell! I don't have time for this right now!" Vince shook his head angrily and thought for a second. "Okay, Shane. For the rest of the night, you're in charge of whatever happens in the ring. And, since we are apparently broadcasting live, now, you had better make it good." Shane nodded and walked away. Now that that was taken care of, Vince could focus on dealing with the situation in the control truck.

Shane left the gorilla position and walked to the top of the ramp, holding a microphone. "As you can imagine," he spoke addressing both Jeff Hardy and the audience, "my father is having enough trouble trying to control DX and JJ. So, he is put me in charge of the show for the rest of the night. Therefore, allow me to introduce Jeff Hardy's opponent for the evening: The Undertaker!"

Jeff's already amazingly white skin paled. The Undertaker? Since when is he in the running for the intercontinental championship? Jeff took a long look at his title belt as all the lights in the arena turned off and a deep gong echoed through the building. He had a feeling that this would be the last time he held it for a long time.

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**Review! Pretty pretty please with sugar on top?**


	15. Undisputed

Chapter Fifteen: Undisputed

"Dude! The Undertaker? What's Shane thinking?" This was the general sentiment out in the control truck, not only between DX and JJ, but also among the crewmembers that they had semi-kidnapped. "This is a house show! It wasn't even supposed to be televised! And besides, it's just the IC title! It's not like it's important!" JJ was yelling and bouncing in her chair as she said all this.

Triple H put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, turbo. I'm pretty sure I know what the McMahon's are up to with this."

"What?"

"Yeah, what?" wondered Shawn. Triple H gave him a look, and he shut up.

"They're probably trying to distract the audience with a high-action match, so that they won't pay attention to what's happening to us."

"Oh…" said Shawn. "That is pretty smart."

"Yeah, for them," snorted JJ. "But we're gonna have to be extra careful not to get caught before we can pull this whole thing off."

"Don't worry. We're in here, and they're out there. What are they gonna do, ram the truck until we come out?" At that very moment, the control truck shuddered as if in an earthquake, then stopped.

"What the hell was that?" cried JJ. Everyone looked at Triple H. "Wait a minute…you don't think--?"

"No! They can't ram us; there are innocent people in here. Here, call up a camera, and see what's happening." JJ punched a couple buttons and an image of the truck flashed up on one of the monitors. What they saw made all of their jaws drop. The truck was in the middle of being loaded onto an enormous tow truck. Was that really how Vince planned to get rid of them?

Shawn opened the door of the truck and leaned out. "Hey, Vince!" he shouted.

Vince was standing a few dozen feet away from the tow truck, and he turned at the sound of Shawn's voice. His eyes narrowed.

"I just wanted to let you know, that even if you tow the control truck away with us inside, you can't stop what's already been started! Think about that before you waste your money paying these guys!" He motioned to the men maneuvering the truck onto the tow truck. "Bye!" Shawn said cheerily, and ducked back inside.

"Dude," said JJ. "If Vince tows the truck away with us inside, it will stop our plan."

"Well now, I know that, Hunter knows that, you know that, and the people inside this truck know that. But! The important thing is that Vince and Shane don't know that. See what I mean? I'm tricky like that."

JJ smirked at him. "Yes, you are," she agreed.

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Sorry!! I know I'm a horrible human being for just STOPPING in the middle of the story! Maybe if you all review, you won't have to wait another 6 months for an update again! hint hint

Lady Tatum: That is the most polite-yet-threatening review I've ever seen. Congratulations, you win a cookie! Muahaha! ;-)

NEXT CHAPTER: The Dark Sage, Phoenix, speculates about televisions, cell phones, and the internet.


	16. A Stranger Among Friends

Chapter Sixteen: A stranger among friends

Phoenix was sitting in a small, darkened room with several other people in the human world. They were all waiting impatiently for the night to hurry up. They had to accomplish one simple task, and then they would be free to go.

Phoenix was amazed at what humans had come up with since she had attained Sagehood. Now, they could all stare at flickering boxes, which they called 'televisions', for hours on end and be entertained. They could communicate with each other with a never ending supply of machines, ranging from talking boxes called 'cell phones' to a complex system known as 'the Internet'.

Phoenix had long since familiarized herself with all of these technologies. She hoped that in doing so, she might be better prepared for what Paradise was planning for her world. She wondered if Xander ever tried to use human machines. She almost laughed out loud at the thought, but didn't for fear the humans in the cramped room would think her insane.

Currently, she and about thirteen humans were watching 'television', but not the same way one would watch for entertainment. They were waiting for some sort of signal. The signal would tell them that they had successfully defeated what Phoenix perceived as a very evil human. She wondered what the two humans who had organized the whole thing were thinking.

She was disguised, of course. No one would recognize her as the Dark Sage, if any Dark creatures happened to be in the room with them. But then again, if there were, Phoenix would have felt them.

She was startled out of her daydream by something one of the two leaders of the humans said.

"What was that?" She asked. "Sorry, I was spacing out."

"I said, it's almost time." The human repeated.

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Aargh this chapter is really short...I guess I'll go ahead and post chapter 17 now also. I wonder if anyone is still reading this story? If they are, they should leave me reviews...seriously, how will I get better if I don't know what the readers think? REVIEW!!!!!

I suppose I should mention that my name changed...Just in case you didn't notice. If you don't remember who I am (shame on you) my old name was TXReaper.

Peace :)


	17. Curse This Complexity

Chapter Seventeen: Curse this complexity

Jeff Hardy watched horrified as the Undertaker approached the ring. The Dead Man's entrance had to be the longest one in the company, no, in the entire history of the company. Jeff pondered for a moment if his opponent would have reached the ring yet if the show came back from a commercial. He almost smiled at the idea.

'No!' He thought angrily to himself. 'I can't get distracted! If I do, I will lose my championship!' Unfortunately, Jeff Hardy had been cursed with a complex mind. A mind such as his was prone to wandering, and more than once his daydreaming had cost him a match. He took a deep breath. If he could just get into the zone, then everything would be okay. It would be much easier to focus and perhaps the Undertaker wouldn't seem so terrifying.

Just as Jeff snapped out of his reverie, the Undertaker stepped into the ring. Jeff watched with his breath caught in his throat as the man on the other side of the ring removed the long overcoat and hat that he was wearing. Jeff briefly considered hitting the Undertaker with a sneak attack before the match started, but dismissed the idea when the Phenom whipped his head around and glared at Hardy with his eyes rolled back into his head. Jeff was paralyzed with fear.

'Oh God! I'm going to die! Why did I even win this stupid championship in the first place?' He asked himself. The referee was saying something to him.

"What?" he asked, with glazed eyes.

"The belt," said the referee. "I need to present it." Jeff realized that the intercontinental championship belt still hung around his waist. He removed it and handed it over. The referee raised it high above his head, before passing it off to someone standing outside the ring.

The bell to start the match chimed. 'This sucks,' thought Jeff before advancing toward his opponent.

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Okay, sorry the chaps have been so short. I hope two short ones makes up for a really long one. I should let you know that I actually wrote all of this over a year ago for NaNoWriMo...and then stopped. So I'm trying to remember what I was going to have happen in the story. But just in case, if anyone cares to submit ideas just send me a PM! lessthanthree all of you! --WarningSign


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